NU leads nation in APR, NIU 6th

Scott Powers is the Blackhawks beat reporter for ESPNChicago.com. He is an award-winning journalist and has been reporting on preps, colleges and pros for publications throughout the Midwest since 1997.

Northwestern led all FBS football programs in the NCAA’s Academic Progress Rate (APR) for the 2010-2011 academic year, according to statistics released on Wednesday.

Northwestern’s football program had a APR score of 997 in 2010-2011 and a multi-year rate of 995, ranking it first among FBS programs and tied for first with Davidson, a FCS school, among all programs.

“Obviously, I’m very proud of our young men,” Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald said by phone on Wednesday. “They’ve done a tremendous job academically. We’re thankful to their parents and their families helping us have these great men. It’s the support back home and the job by our academic staff. They’re making great decisions and doing a great job working with their professors.”

Northern Illinois finished sixth among FBS programs with a 987 score. Illinois had a score of 953, and Notre Dame had a 970 score.